[mrgsc1]

I'm new to this hobby and have just completed my first restoration of a push mower. I found it on CL on the way back home from family vacation. Wife was a little mad when I strapped it to the top of her car for the ride home.

It is a Snapper 18" Push mower. Model V18 with a Briggs 3.5hp engine. All original except tires.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-.../2SN2Ob4iTGg/w388-h690-no/20130915_174011.jpg

 

[mrgsc1]

Picture of what it looked like when I got it.

 

[GEI1906]

Wow that is an excellent job! With results like that it might be ok making the wife mad.


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[Lawnboy77]

Outstanding job!! That 3.5 Briggs brings back some good memories for me. When I was very young, my brothers and I had a lawn cutting business and those old Briggs were the backbone for us. Unfortunately they were never mounted on good quality decks like your Snapper, so we got quite the workout pushing those cheap decks around with the wheels rubbing the side of the deck.

 

[Y Block]

Wow! Beautiful job! :congrats: Gotta ask, what paint is that? I like the color and it looks like it has a bit of sparkle. Also, how did you get those plated parts like the height adjusters to look so good? I'm undertaking an old Toro right now so any advice is appreciated. Nice job and welcome to MTF! :MTF_wel:

 

[mrgsc1]

Thanks for the replies.

The deck paint is "IH Red - Farm Implements." Got it at local Ace Hardware. After looking at old pics of Snappers from this era, it appeared to me that the red they used was more burgundy than the current cherry.

As for height adjusters, axles, and wheel washers - a lot of time on the bench wire wheel and polisher.

I chose to keep the original s/n decal on it to give authenticity to it. Just masked it when I painted deck.

 

[Yard Nazi]

Hi! Awesome job!! I can certainly appreciate the amount of work that went into your mower and you can be proud of how it turned out. Bill

 

[Shawnlb]

Very Nice !!!!!!

 

[zeeker]

That, my friend, is one FINE LOOKING lawnmower!!!!!!!

 

[Snapperfreak]

OMG that is amazing! Truly unbelievable! I am stunned at the attention to detail, how did u get the SNAPPER letters on the front painted so perfectly? Are u going to use it or just park it and admire it? I refurbed my 21500PC with the intent to actually use it, and I do, but I don't know if I could bring myself to get that V18 dirty. Truly awesome man!

 

[rscurtis]

Very nice- and very rare.

 

[LBO]

Now that's a SNAPPER!


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[FordTractors]

I think you should do this professionally. Really nice. Hopefully the wife congratulated you also.

 

[mrgsc1]

Everyone is making me blush. I appreciate it! This project took me off and on two months. I did have in mind that I want to sell it, but I don't know where I could. People on CL don't seem to appreciate vintage anything.

I used a Krylon White Enamel Paint Pen to get the letters white. It helped that the letters are raised.

I boneyard picked a 1981 Snapper 21500PC and made the mistake of Powder Coating the deck, handles, and some of the drive parts before really checking into the cylinder assembly. It is shot.

I finally found a short block for a Model 131922-0169-01 Briggs (NOS), however when I got it in the mail and tried lining it up with the deck, the holes don't match up. Maybe only three of them. Very discouraging.

 

[rscurtis]

Too bad you're so far away, I have a nice 21350 with its original, virgin, untouched Briggs engine on it that would make an easy resto. I rescued it from a scrap pile about 6 years ago, all it needed was a new carb. diaphragm. I'm not currently using it and have it stored in my basement. I can't see listing it on CL for $100 or so only to have someone destroy it.

 

[FordTractors]

Everyone is making me blush. I appreciate it! This project took me off and on two months. I did have in mind that I want to sell it, but I don't know where I could. People on CL don't seem to appreciate vintage anything.

I used a Krylon White Enamel Paint Pen to get the letters white. It helped that the letters are raised.

I boneyard picked a 1981 Snapper 21500PC and made the mistake of Powder Coating the deck, handles, and some of the drive parts before really checking into the cylinder assembly. It is shot.

I finally found a short block for a Model 131922-0169-01 Briggs (NOS), however when I got it in the mail and tried lining it up with the deck, the holes don't match up. Maybe only three of them. Very discouraging.

Throw it on Ebay with a reserve and do it for a while. You might sell it.

 

[jonathco]

Wow, looks great! Nice work. :thThumbsU

 

[LawnBoy2ndToNone]

That red really pops. Great job on a great mower!

 

[BDM53]

Great looking mower. There are Snappers everywhere around here but have yet to run across one like that.

When did they go the steel deck we see now? I think my oldest is a early 80s but I may be wrong. Anyway I would love to find and restore one like that. Nice work.

 

[Y Block]

I think they switched to steel around 1979 or 80? Not positive.